Almost 100 new breweries have opened across the UK in the past year, with a “staggering” 5,500 beers now in regular production, a new report showed today.

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) said there were now 840 breweries following a surge in beer production.

Roger Protz, editor of Camra’s Good Beer Guide, said: “The choice and diversity of beer in Britain is staggering and, in reality, if one hardy soul was to attempt the challenge of sampling every beer produced in Britain, including seasonal offerings, you’re going to be looking at an estimated 25-year stretch.

“Such a range is exactly what discerning beer drinkers expect in the current climate, and in spite of economic difficulties and pub closures, Britain’s pioneering brewers are more than rising to the challenge.

“Never will anyone alive today have seen 5,500 regular beers produced on these shores at any one time.”

He added: “Areas such as Yorkshire are recording startling brewery growth, with over six times more brewers in the region than when the first Good Beer Guide was compiled in the 1970s. Not only are there an exploding number of breweries operating in Britain, but also the quality of real ale has never been better.

“Speciality brewers are using the finest raw materials – malt and hops -to make their ales. Britain is a great place to be drinking good beer.”

The Good Beer Guide included a league table of the most prolific brewing counties, topped by Yorkshire, with more than 600 regular beers brewed.

The top 10 is listed as:

The 2011 Good beer guide came out yesterday – and its now available for the Android mobile operating system.

The mobile version costs £4.99 from the andriod market

It’s a small download and quite basic and goes to the web to pick up the info (be good if local copy of data was there for speed)

You can find pubs by

1. Near me – used the GPS option of the phone – works fine
2. Address – put a town in.
3. Postcode – if you know one
4. Tube Station – only useful in London but could see it being handy for trips away.

When you click on the pub info you are given the option of reading the review of the pub, list of features and List of standard Beers.

The info is the same as in the book, but be good to maybe to see a picture of the pub – or link to other reviews – yelp/google and the like.

And a map (using google maps but calling it within the app) which crashed the phone

Its quite an ugly app (and looks like the iphone version) and forced closed a few times on my Wildfire, but it seems to work even when I could not get a full 3G signal.

The down side is that you have to buy it all over again after a year

(iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad/Android versions cost £4.99 for access to the 2011 data then £4.99 for access to future editions data when it is available)

Here its the Camra bumpf about it

Good Beer Guide Mobile makes the ideal companion to the printed Good Beer Guide. Wherever you are, or wherever you are going, get information on local Good Beer Guide pubs and beers sent direct to your mobile phone.

This indispensible service costs just £5 (or £4.99 for the iPhone/ iPad/ iPod Touch version).

Good Beer Guide Mobile allows users to search by postcode, place name or London tube stations – or it can even locate your current position using GPS.

Search results contain full information and descriptions for local pubs and include tasting notes for their regular beers. Interactive maps help you navigate to your destination.

This unique service is compatible with most mobile phones with Internet access and support for Java applications, the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch and now AndroidTM devices.

For a full list of compatible devices please visit m.camra.org.uk.

I went along to one of my favourite Cardiff City pub (after the Goat Major), The Old arcade on monday, thanks to Brains for the lovely half of dark and the snacks on the house

Anyway the book is a great celebration of pubs with interiors of special historic interest that are still with us, it’s mad that Wales has over 4000 pubs but only just over 100 with original features.

The book is A5, so handy for your man bag when you are traveling around Wales looking at these great pubs.

Each entry for the pub contains a great photograph taken by Michael Slaughter, a potted history of the pub with info on the interior and facilities ie does the pub do food, its not a replacement for the Good Pub Guide but a great addition if you are on the lookout for a pictorial guide to the best old boozers in Wales.

A bargain at £6.99

Of course my mate Rob is a one man old pub photo machine with his Travels with Beer be good if he put a book out as well

Some great Beers on the list from Wales and beyond, more info on the Cardiff Festival here

There are quite a few breweries I have not tried, so not sure which to try with my lack of time, it may be ArfurD and the old glassworks boys recommendations.

If it’s on then I will be having a half of Bullmastiff Welsh Black as its a custom of mine to have one of bob & pauls excellent brews every Welsh festival… so hopefully one of their brews will be available on the thursday.

Some great Welsh classics in fact, he mentions 78 Welsh Beers from 29 different Welsh Breweries

I am looking forward (as I will be going) to these ales.

Conwy Mulberry Mild, 3.80%ABV, Mild
Otley New Brew to be confirmed (will it be hoppy?)
Rhymney Lager, 5% ABV, Speciality Ale
Bullmastiff Welsh Black, 4.60% ABV, Speciality Ale (I love it )

But hopefully Arfur can give some pointers to some of the stars of the festivALE.

of course the English craft Beers are worth a walk to the other side of the bar as is the Cider..

and those half pints help as I can’t drink as much as I would/could on a multiple session.

You can learn more about this great use for the CIA’s terrible acoustics here.